Building Sales Strategies for Tech Communities

Most B2B teams suck at marketing to technical IT buyers. Here is why: They try to replicate what works to sell to economical buyers: Linkedin Ads → personalized outreach → semi-custom landing pages paired with content. But what if your buyers aren't on LinkedIn? What if they ignore every cold email? What if they give exactly zero f*ck about your "streamlined solutions"? We generated multiple enterprise deals with senior IT buyers, and I can say for sure - these audiences are notoriously skeptical of "traditional" marketing. Here is what works based on our case studies: Testrail: https://lnkd.in/dgmAxcuf Postindustria: https://lnkd.in/dKMiy-DN Glorium Tech: https://lnkd.in/dwJ6APG9 1. STOP SELLING. START PROVING. Technical buyers don't respond to "here is your challenge - here is our solution" message . They research on their own, read documentation, and test products before talking to anyone. Before launching any ABM program to IT buyers: - Make sure your product documentation is crystal clear - Offer a trial or sandbox environment - Validate your messaging with actual technical users - Ensure you have POC as a part of the sales process 2. LEVERAGE SPONTANEOUS ADVOCACY. Engineers trust their peers 100x more than your case studies. We found our customers already talking about the product in technical forums, YouTube, and niche communities. We amplified their voices instead of drowning them out with our own. Result: peer-driven recommendations that actually moved deals forward. 3. USE INTERNAL SUBJECT-MATTER EXPERTS. Your solution architects and technical leaders used to be your buyers. Put them front and center. What worked for us: - Educational webinars led by SMEs (not sales pitches) - Community roundtables addressing real technical challenges - Enabling technical experts to share lessons learned 4. FORGET LINKEDIN. GO WHERE THEY ACTUALLY ARE. Senior IT buyers might not engage on LinkedIn, but they're active somewhere. We targeted them through: → Niche communities → Direct mail with relevant, personalized research → Content collaborations with industry peers they already trust 5. INVOLVE THEM IN CONTENT CREATION. The fastest way to build credibility with technical audiences? Make them the experts. We invited target buyers to: - Contribute to market research - Participate in podcasts - Co-create educational content This gave us an excuse to reach out, built genuine relationships, and created peer-to-peer content that was 10x easier to distribute. My honest take: Most B2B teams will never run these playbooks. Too manual. Too much effort. They'll keep blasting automated outreach at technical buyers who will continue ignoring them. But that's good news for you. It means there's a massive opportunity to stand out by actually doing the work of understanding your technical buyers and engaging them on their terms—not yours.

Sales folks, take note! Spamming a target company's employees with your services and requests for meetings will result in your company making its way onto a buyer's blocklist. As a buyer in the localization industry, I receive dozens of emails and LinkedIn requests every single day from vendors looking to showcase translation, AI, QA services, and more. It's not humanly possible to give personal replies to every outreach. When vendors can't get through to me, they often reach out to everyone on my team... and sometimes to many others across my company. I'd love for this practice to stop. It wastes valuable company time and makes a vendor appear desperate and non-strategic. Here's what to do instead: 1. Appeal to ego! Invite a target company’s decision-maker to a panel, or start a vlog series and ask buyers to appear and discuss industry topics. It’s also a great opportunity to reposition your company as a thought leader. 2. Offer genuine insight, not just services. Share a case study, white paper, or benchmarking data that’s actually useful to the buyer’s role, and do it without a sales pitch. 3. Build a reputation before you build a pipeline. Comment thoughtfully on posts. Contribute to community conversations. If you consistently show up with value, you’re far more likely to get noticed. 4. Target smarter, not broader. Don’t shotgun your message to an entire company. Learn the org. Understand the buyer’s scope. Then send one well-researched, personalized note that shows you actually did your homework. 5. Focus on mutual value. Can you help solve a known pain point or offer perspective on something changing in the market? Frame your outreach around collaboration, not consumption. 6. Use timing to your advantage. Keep tabs on when companies are hiring for roles associated with your offerings, launching in new markets, or attending conferences. That’s when buyers are more receptive to new solutions. 7. Lead with generosity. Offer a no-strings-attached resource, intro, or suggestion that doesn’t benefit you directly. Reciprocity is a powerful trust builder. And please! Don't ever ever call me on the phone! ;)

B2B sales teams winning in Indonesia and Malaysia are adding a new layer to GTM --> community group approach. Cold outreach and ads still bring leads. But they only reach the visible 50%. The rest, the silent, referral-driven half, live in WhatsApp, Linkedin, Facebook and Telegram groups. Teams that join those spaces early don’t replace outbound, they amplify it. Warm intros appear. Demos happen faster. Deals feel easier. That’s where buyers trade stories, compare tools, and build trust long before your first message lands. We’ve seen this playbook lift pipeline quality across 10+ B2B SaaS and cybersecurity teams in KL and Jakarta. Same SDRs, same messaging, just added community visibility. Here’s how it works 👇 📢 Awareness ↳ Get seen where local conversations happen. Online Locations: - LinkedIn and Facebook niche groups - WhatsApp or Telegram industry chats - Local webinars and WhatsApp communities KPIs: - Engagement on local posts or updates Strategy: - Ask targeted prospects, which groups they trust - Join as a member, not a marketer - Share useful content and insights (plz don't share any brand logo of your company on it) they need to trust YOU first! 📚 Consideration ↳ Build familiarity through trust. Online Locations: - Community Q&A threads - Local SaaS meetups or support chats KPIs: - Replies or tags from group members - Repeat visibility in discussions Strategy: - Respond with insights, screenshots, or case snippets - Keep tone polite, Bahasa-inclusive - Offer help before you offer links 🎯 Intent ↳ Identify when buyers start evaluating. Signals: - Users asking about pricing, integrations, or ROI - Group mentions turning into DMs KPIs: - Demo requests via chat - Warm inbound leads Strategy: - Personalise outreach referencing the conversation - Use a quick voice note 🤝 Loyalty ↳ Keep customers visible in the same communities. Online Locations: Product user groups WhatsApp beta communities Local customer events KPIs: Community engagement from paying users Peer referrals and feature feedback Strategy: Share updates or early features Reward advocacy publicly Use active users as proof in future conversations The question isn’t “should we join communities?” It’s “how long can we afford not to?” ♻️ Repost so more GTM teams in APAC see how trust is actually built here.

We had world-class developers. But our sales pipeline was empty. . . In the early days, I thought: “If we build the best products, clients will find us.” Spoiler: they didn’t. We had engineers who could solve complex problems faster than most teams out there. But every month, sales targets were missed. Cash flow was unstable. Growth? Stuck. That’s when it hit me: great delivery doesn’t guarantee great sales. Here’s why 80% of IT companies fail to scale sales — even with great developers: ❌ They rely too much on word-of-mouth and referrals ❌ They pitch technical skills instead of business outcomes ❌ They try to sell to everyone, instead of focusing on a niche ❌ They have no repeatable sales process — just “hope marketing” ❌ They hire salespeople before fixing positioning or messaging What changed everything for us: ✅ We defined exactly who we wanted to work with ✅ We stopped selling “apps” or “websites” — and started selling results ✅ We built a lead generation system that ran daily, not occasionally ✅ We turned our case studies into our best sales asset ✅ We treated sales as a process — not a one-time activity Here’s the truth: You can have the best developers in the world. But if you can’t consistently bring in the right clients… You’ll always be one bad month away from panic. What’s your biggest roadblock when it comes to scaling IT sales? Drop your thoughts below — we might just solve it together. 👇 #ITSales #B2BSales #TechSales #SaaS #SoftwareDevelopment #SalesChallenges #LeadGeneration #BusinessGrowth #StartupStruggles #FoundersJourney #SalesTips #ITServices #DigitalTransformation #Entrepreneurship #SalesStrategy

We're addicted to the new. New customers, new features, new everything. But what if the key to growth isn't new at all? Customer Lifetime Value (LTV) isn't just a metric. It's a mindset. A lens through which successful tech leaders view their entire business. LTV defined: The total revenue a business can expect from a single customer account throughout their relationship. Calculate it: LTV = (Average Revenue Per User x Gross Margin %) / Monthly Churn Rate Example: If your ARPU is $100, gross margin is 80%, and monthly churn is 5%: LTV = ($100 x 0.80) / 0.05 = $1,600 Consider: 1️⃣ Upsells surge 200% when you focus on LTV (Forrester Research) 2️⃣ High-LTV customers cut acquisition costs by 50% (Harvard Business Review) 3️⃣ Personalization boosts LTV by 25% (Accenture Interactive) Yet we chase the next sale, the next customer, the next big thing. Why? Because it's easier. Because it feels like progress. Because everyone else is doing it. But easy isn't effective. And progress without purpose is just movement. The truth? Your existing customers are your growth engine. They're not just a revenue stream. They're your R&D department, your marketing team, and your competitive advantage all rolled into one. 5 𝙎𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙜𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙏𝙚𝙘𝙝 𝙇𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝘾𝙖𝙣 𝙄𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙄𝙢𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙇𝙏𝙑: - Elevate onboarding: Make first impressions count. Guide users to their "aha!" moment fast. - Proactive support: Don't wait for issues. Reach out regularly. Be their partner, not just a provider. - Value-based pricing: Align your pricing with the value you deliver. Underpricing is leaving money on the table. - Build a community: Foster connections between users. Create a space they want to stay in. - Continuous innovation: Keep adding value. Make leaving feel like missing out. So, what if... Instead of always looking outward, we looked inward? Instead of chasing new, we nurtured the known? Instead of scaling width, we scaled depth? It's not about ignoring new customers. It's about redefining what "new" means. New insights from existing users. New value from current relationships. New growth from deepened connections. This shift isn't easy. It requires patience, creativity, and a willingness to play the long game. But in a world obsessed with the new, the real innovation might just be in how we treat the old. How might your product evolve if you listened more to those who already use it? What stories are your current customers wanting to tell, if only you'd ask? The answers might surprise you. They might challenge you. They might even transform your business. But only if you're willing to look beyond the allure of "one and done." How are you nurturing your existing customers? Share your experiences below.

💬 𝗜'𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝟱𝟬𝟬 𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗱/𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀. Here are 𝟳 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗱𝗼 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱—and what’s no longer working. 𝟭. 𝗥𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗺 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 → 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗚𝗧𝗠 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 ❌ 𝗢𝗹𝗱 𝗪𝗮𝘆: Run disconnected campaigns with no clear connection to sales goals. ✅ 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗪𝗮𝘆: Align sales, marketing, and client services under one go-to-market strategy. 𝟮. 𝗥𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗱𝗲𝘅 𝗥𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀 → 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗕𝗗 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲 ❌ 𝗢𝗹𝗱 𝗪𝗮𝘆: Hire “rainmakers” who rely on their personal network but lack a structured process. ✅ 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗪𝗮𝘆: Build a business development system with repeatable, measurable processes that don’t depend on any one individual. 𝟯. 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗩𝗶𝗲𝘄𝘀 → 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁-𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 ❌ 𝗢𝗹𝗱 𝗪𝗮𝘆: Measure success by podcast downloads, webinar attendance, or social impressions—focused on mass reach over strategic relationships. ✅ 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗪𝗮𝘆: Use content formats to reverse-engineer relationships with your dream clients—inviting them as guests, collaborators, or contributors to create value and start conversations, regardless of reach. 𝟰. 𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗮𝘆 & 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝘆 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 → 𝗦𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗹-𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 ❌ 𝗢𝗹𝗱 𝗪𝗮𝘆: Send mass emails to a wide, unfiltered audience. ✅ 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗪𝗮𝘆: Use buying signals and intent data to target the right people at the right time. 𝟱. 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 → 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹, 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲-𝗗𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 ❌ 𝗢𝗹𝗱 𝗪𝗮𝘆: Talk about your company, people, and awards. ✅ 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗪𝗮𝘆: Act like a media company—educate your audience and help them solve real problems. 𝟲. 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗜𝘀 𝗮 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁 → 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁 ❌ 𝗢𝗹𝗱 𝗪𝗮𝘆: Treat everyone in your database as a potential sale. ✅ 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗪𝗮𝘆: Build a loyal community that follows, engages, and advocates for you over time. 𝟳. 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲-𝗢𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 → 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 + 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝘅 ❌ 𝗢𝗹𝗱 𝗪𝗮𝘆: Invest solely in short-term performance marketing for lead generation. ✅ 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗪𝗮𝘆: Build brand awareness while driving performance for sustainable growth. ⚠️ 𝗦𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗿𝘂𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀. 𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙤 𝙙𝙞𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙡𝙮 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙤𝙬?

In today's digital landscape, APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) are the building blocks of modern software development. However, selling highly technical APIs to developers requires a unique approach. This article explores effective go-to-market (GTM) strategies that can help you successfully position and sell your API product in a competitive market. 1. Understand Your Developer Audience Before diving into marketing tactics, it's crucial to understand your target audience - developers. They are typically: - Technically savvy and value substance over hype - Time-conscious and appreciate efficiency - Skeptical of marketing jargon and prefer straightforward communication - Interested in solving real problems and improving their workflow Tailoring your GTM strategy to these characteristics will significantly increase your chances of success. 2. Provide Comprehensive, Clear Documentation One of the most critical aspects of selling APIs is having excellent documentation. Your documentation should: - Be clear, concise, and well-organized - Include getting started guides, tutorials, and reference materials - Offer code samples in multiple programming languages - Provide use cases and best practices - Be easily searchable and regularly updated Remember, good documentation can be your best salesperson. 3. Offer a Free Tier or Trial Developers often want to experiment with an API before committing to it. Offering a free tier or trial allows them to: - Test the API's functionality and performance - Assess its fit within their existing tech stack - Build prototypes or proof of concepts This approach reduces the barrier to entry and can lead to organic growth as developers become invested in your product. 4. Build a Strong Developer Community Fostering a vibrant developer community around your API can be a powerful GTM strategy. Consider: - Creating forums or discussion boards for developers to share ideas and solve problems - Hosting hackathons or coding challenges to showcase your API's capabilities - Developing a blog with technical content, case studies, and best practices - Engaging with developers on platforms like GitHub, Stack Overflow, and Reddit A strong community can become a source of innovation, support, and word-of-mouth marketing. Continued…

For my first 16 years in tech sales, I averaged 240K/year W2 income. In my last 4 years, I averaged 720K/year. In order to triple my income, I had to change my sales approach entirely. Here's what I changed: I started using a new approach that I now call Yo-yo selling: 🪀 Yo-yo selling emphasizes starting at the executive level, conducting thorough discovery within the organization, and then returning to the executive with a tailored business case. Like holding a yo-yo, you are constantly in communication with the Executive Sponsor and updating them as you collect information and conduct deep discovery lower down in their organization. You are literally going up and down the organization, but always taking everything back to the Executive Sponsor to surface your findings along the way. Here's a breakdown of the framework: 🎯 𝐈𝐚𝐧 𝐊𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐚𝐤’𝐬 “𝐘𝐨-𝐘𝐨 𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠” 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 This strategy involves a three-step process: 1. Start at the Top (Executive Engagement) Initiate contact with a senior executive to understand their most pressing challenges, the reasons behind the need for change, and the consequences of inaction. If your solution aligns with their needs, secure their sponsorship for further discovery within their organization. To secure the Executive Meetings, it's essential to create a tailored POV (point of view) on where you think you may be able to help them based on your initial research of their highest level goals and priorities. Chat GPT has made this research a LOT faster now. 2. Conduct In-Depth Discovery (Middle Management) Engage with department heads and key stakeholders to uncover the day-to-day challenges they face. Focus on understanding their processes, pain points, and the implications of current inefficiencies. Gather direct quotes and insights to build a comprehensive view of the organization's needs. 3. Return to the Executive (Present Findings) Compile the insights gathered into an executive summary and business case. Present this to the executive sponsor, highlighting how your solution addresses the identified challenges. Tailor your demonstration to focus solely on relevant aspects that solve their specific problems. 🚀 Why It Works 1. Accelerates Sales Cycles: Engaging executives early ensures alignment and expedites decision-making. 2. Builds Credibility: Demonstrates a deep understanding of the organization's challenges and showcases a tailored solution. 3. Facilitates Internal Buy-In: By involving various stakeholders, you ensure that the solution meets the needs of all parties, increasing the likelihood of adoption. I'm pleased to share that that Yo-yo selling was recently awarded as a Top 15 Sales Tactic of All Time by 30 Minutes to President's Club, and I received a cool plaque for entering the 30MPC Hall of Fame. Since I have no chance of entering the Hall of Fame for my baseball or golf game, this is a nice consolation prize 😁

When your prospects are active on LinkedIn, why don't you nail it? Yet, most founders completely mess up their approach. Here's the brutal truth: → Copying viral posts and gurus doesn't work. → Cheesy template DMs get ignored. → Random content brings zero results. I've analyzed 300+ tech founders on LinkedIn, and here's what actually moves the needle: 1. "Positioning yourself as the go-to expert" Stop trying to be everywhere. Pick your lane and own it. 2. "Create content that converts" Your prospects don't care about your morning routine, vacations etc. They want solutions to their problems. 3. "Build a simple system (that works)" → 2-5 valuable posts per week → 10-20 targeted connections daily → 5+ meaningful conversations every week That's it. One of our clients followed this exact approach: → Generated 17 qualified leads in Jan 2025 → Closed 1 high-ticket deal (from 2024 pipeline) → Built a predictable, and profitable pipeline All from LinkedIn. No paid ads. No events. No cold calling. The key? Showing up consistently with the right message for the right audience. Want to learn how we help tech founders build their audience and sales pipeline using content and targeted outreach? Let's make LinkedIn work for you. 😊 #B2BSaleS #SocialSelling #AuthorityBuilding #ThoughtLeadership

Imagine you're a founder standing at the edge of the marketplace, product in hand. Its your brainchild. Your sleepless nights – ready to make waves. But then comes the daunting question "How do I make my mark in just 90 days?" Outbound isnt what it used to be. It's not just about hiring a sales rep and praying for the best anymore The game has changed and so must we In the next 90 days it's all about strategic moves and smart plays Heres a glimpse into the playbook I'd lay out for you 👇 Month 1: Foundation building ✔ Deep dive into your ICP: Understand who you're selling to. Not just surface level but deep dive their pain points, desires and day-to-day realities ✔ Crafting your message: Tailor your narrative so it resonates. Not just inform. We're talking about messaging that sticks! That makes your prospects nod in agreement ✔ Tech stack setup: Equip yourself with the right tools. CRM, sales engagement platform and data enrichment tools – the essentials to streamline and automate your outreach Month 2: Engagement and optimization ✔ Launch targeted campaigns: With your ICP and messaging nailed down it's time to hit send. But this isn't spray and pray. It's targeted, it's measured & it's refined ✔ Analyze and adjust: Live by the data. What's working? What's not? Adapt in real-time. Tweak your campaigns and always be optimizing ✔ Content that converts: Start posting. Sharing insights, stories and value through your content. Let your expertise build trust and draw your audience closer Month 3: Scaling and closing ✔ Refine and expand: By now you know what works. Its time to double down on those strategies! Expand your outreach and keep the momentum ✔ Focus on the pipeline: Dive deep into qualification and follow ups. Every interaction should move the needle inching closer to that 'Yes' ✔ Close and learn: Start closing those deals but remember every close or loss is a lesson. Gather the insights, refine your approach and prepare for the next cycle This isn't just about outbound calls or emails Its about building a go-to-market machine that learns, adapts and grows Its about seeing your product through the eyes of your customers and meeting them there with open arms and a solution they can't resist So to the founder asking "What now?" it's time to roll up our sleeves There's work to do and trust me the next 90 days could just be the beginning of something awesome! Lets make it happen 🤘